GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The University of Florida on Saturday will launch a re-branding campaign centered on the university’s research, global outreach and commitment to take on the big issues facing the world.

The resulting “For the Gator Good” campaign is the university’s first new branding effort in nearly a decade and is the logical evolution of the university’s previous branding effort, “The Foundation for The Gator Nation,” said Jane Adams, vice president for university relations.

“The previous campaign helped strengthen the unity of The Gator Nation,” Adams said. “Now we’re ready to harness that unity and turn it into action.”

The new campaign emphasizes the many ways in which the university is making a difference for the world’s 7 billion people through the school’s far-reaching research efforts.

“The idea is to inspire others to come together and solve some of the world‘s most pressing problems,” Adams said. “UF can – and does -- take a leadership role in that effort, but this is really about bringing everyone together for the greater good.”

160over90, a Philadelphia-based branding and marketing firm with an office in Gainesville, is developing the campaign. Its previous clients have included the University of California, Los Angeles; Miami University (Ohio); and the University of Notre Dame.

Among the campaign’s more visible elements are three new TV spots, the first of which will begin airing Saturday on select cable stations throughout Florida and can be seen here: http://youtu.be/5OHbYzzM3os. The spots will feature stories illustrating how UF research benefits people facing challenges such as hurricanes, water pollution and cancer. Among the stories is that of a 4-year-old boy diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma who underwent treatment at the UF Proton Therapy Institute. Another recounts the devastation of Hurricane Charley and communal efforts to rebuild.

In addition, a microsite – www.gatorgood.com – launched this week and features those videos and several others.

The campaign will encourage people to get involved by contributing time and money to the cause of their choice. It is believed to be the first branding campaign to do so.